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| | "With 2023, we returned to Bordeaux." Alexandre Thienpont of Le Pin & Vieux Château Certan |
| | ▪ "Generally, the 2023s are relatively more tannic than we’ve become accustomed to, more linear and vertical, though endowed with greater fruit concentration than the 2021s. That appeals to my predilection. The best wines embrace these traits while maintaining sufficient fruit and grip, occasionally harking back to the kind of barrel samples encountered in the early days of my career, and I mean that in a good sense. One virtue that underlies the best wines is a brightness or what the French term éclat. It’s a kind of nascent energy that, in my experience, augurs a sample that will evolve into a great wine. This brightness derives from the fruit, acidity, fineness of tannins, and the more intangible concept of their personality, a combination of all .... The pinnacles of 2023 possess all these factors."
Neal Martin, Vinous
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| ▪ "The young wines, tasted from cask, reflect [a] paradox, possessing — at their best — the depth, density, and ripe tannin of a sunny vintage but also the vibrant, expressive aromas and flavors of a more traditionally 'Atlantic' season. The best 2023s are just as exciting as the best 2022s ... [and] the 2023s may be released at prices as interesting as any we have seen since 2019."
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
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| ▪ "So far, I have tasted more than 900 barrel samples of 2023 Bordeaux with my team over the last 10 days in the region, and the best reds show balance and freshness with deep center palates of ripe fruit and a complement of polished tannins. In many ways, I like them better than many of the highly touted 2022s because they are so Bordeaux in their nature with their tensioned mouthfeels and energetic finishes."
James Suckling
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| | | | ▪ "This hits you right off the first nose, driven by slate and crushed rocks, setting the tone and the architecture, guiding the fruit through the palate. Cassis, bilberry, tobacco leaf, graphite, crushed mint, finessed and sculpted, this is a gorgeous Lafite, with fine tannins and the squid ink character that seems to be present in all of this stable of wines except Moulin de Duhart. Hidden power, where nothing is too much and yet everything is concentrated, once again proving that the terroir at this particular spot has its own personality that stands out every year. High Cabernet as ever, combined with around 15% press wine. Not the concentration of 2022, but in many ways showcasing the essence of Lafite more squarely, and this will delight anyone lucky enough to own it in future years. 45hl/h yield, highest since 2015, harvest September 7 to 29. 100% new oak. New cellar underway, due for completion in 2027. I am giving it 10 years to begin entering its opening window, a little less than usual but it will make no difference to how long you can cellar it."
98-100
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
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| ▪ "The finest of the first growths this year appears to be the 2023 Lafite Rothschild, a terrific effort that unwinds in the glass with deep and incipiently complex aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, lilac and violets mingled with hints of cigar wrapper and mint. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's vibrant and refined, with a deep core of fruit, plenty of sweet structuring tannin and a compelling marriage between energy and plenitude. It's a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot that reminds me of 2019's tannins combined with 2016's unimpeachable classicism."
97-99
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
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| | | | ▪ "A fine line of tannins runs through this medium- to full-bodied wine. Chocolate, walnut and lead pencil on very fine tannins. Classy and focused, providing elegance with strength. Tight at the end. 78% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon."
96-97
James Suckling
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| ▪ "A fascinating exercise in terroir, as this shows the same alcohol as the Blason, but the density, fruit character and even the IPT (tannin) count are very different. You see the impact of clay soils in the building of the powerful architecture and the plush damson and black cherry fruits. There is density but tenderness to the tannins, with grilled caramel that gives a beautiful Pomerol signature. Violet floral edging arrives towards the finish, as things open up, and this is an impressive L'Evangile that can age with ease. 42hl/h yield, a record in recent years here. Certified organic since 2021. Great stuff from technical director Juliette Couderc."
96
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
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| | | | ▪ "A savory and juicy Carruades with softness and notes of ripe berry, cedar and dried tobacco. Like Lafite from the 1980s but more precise. Round and pretty. It really grows on the finish with such sweetness of fruit and length. Pointed, fine tannins at the end. Very long. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot."
95-96
James Suckling
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| | | | ▪ "Inky plum, far deeper in texture and intensity than the Moulin de Duhart (in contrast to 2022, when both 1st and 2nd wines were intensely coloured). Classical Duhart on the attack, reserved and a little subdued, then in comes the waves of cassis, liqourice root, spiced plum, ink, tobacco and cigar box. High Cabernet in the blend, and it suits the style and character of Duhart. Has a ton of ageing potential, classical styled with precision, fully showcasing the enjoyment of 2023 in the right spots."
95
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
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| | | | | ★ Please Note:
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▪ Certain quantities may prove limited
▪ All allocations are secured with longstanding négociants in Bordeaux
▪ ETA winter 2026/spring 2027
▪ Larger formats may be available upon request: please inquire
▪ All wines are shipped to, and will be fulfilled from, our Orange County, California warehouse
▪ The purchaser is responsible for paying any applicable taxes or tariffs
▪ See Retail Terms & Conditions and Shipping FAQs |
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